"By mid-2014, the Australian carbon market will look very different, particularly in the LNG industry where major projects such as Australia Pacific and Gladstone, LNG, scheduled for a 2015 start, would be yet to come fully online.

"That would mean lower emissions in the Australian market, therefore lower demand for Australian companies to buy European, or any, carbon permits."

RepuTex says a forecast European price of $12 per tonne of CO2 by financial year 2015 means the Australian carbon price could open next year around the $6.50 to $7.50.